Power supply using shared flux in a multi-load parallel magnetic circuit

Abstract

A flux sharing magnetic circuit has a parallel arrangement of secondary flux loops with secondary windings to drive output loads. A shared pool of flux is provided by a primary winding. An AC driven primary delivers current to the secondary circuits to maintain a desired voltage or current to a load. One or more control windings control current in the parallel flux loops and thus control the power delivered to the loads.

1 . A power supply comprising:
 a primary winding provided to a first portion of a core of magnetic material having a non-linear hysteresis, the primary core energized by an AC voltage;   a first secondary circuit, said secondary circuit comprising a first secondary winding, at least one first control winding and a first control circuit, said first secondary winding and said first at least one control winding provided to said first control circuit, said first control circuit controlling a current through said at least one first control winding to at least partially regulate an output voltage of said first control circuit, said first secondary winding and said at least one first control winding provided to a second portion of said core of magnetic material to form a first magnetic flux loop comprising said first portion and said second portion; and   a second secondary circuit, said second secondary circuit comprising a second secondary winding, at least one second control winding and a second control circuit, said second secondary winding and said second at least one control winding provided to said second control circuit, said second control circuit controlling a current through said at least one second control winding to regulate a desired output voltage of said second control circuit, said second secondary winding and said at least one second control winding provided to a third portion of said core of magnetic material to form a second magnetic flux loop comprising said first portion and said third portion, said second flux loop in parallel with said first magnetic flux loop such that a magnetic flux through said primary winding comprises a combination of magnetic flux from said first magnetic flux loop and magnetic flux from said second magnetic flux loop.   
     
     
         2 . The power supply of  claim 1 , wherein said first secondary winding is provided in series with said first at least one first control winding. 
     
     
         3 . The power supply of  claim 1 , wherein said first secondary winding is wound in an opposite sense with respect to said first at least one control winding. 
     
     
         4 . The power supply of  claim 1 , wherein said first secondary winding is provided in series with said first at least one control winding and said first secondary winding is wound such that said first secondary winding is out of phase with respect to said first at least control winding. 
     
     
         5 . The power supply of  claim 1 , wherein said first control circuit comprises a load control circuit and a first control winding control circuit. 
     
     
         6 . The power supply of  claim 5 , wherein said first control circuit comprises a diode to convert alternating current from said first secondary winding to direct current and a filter to smooth said direct current. 
     
     
         7 . The power supply of  claim 6 , wherein said filter comprises a lowpass filter. 
     
     
         8 . The power supply of  claim 6 , wherein said filter provides voltage regulation. 
     
     
         9 . The power supply of  claim 6 , wherein said filter comprises an electrochemical cell. 
     
     
         10 . The power supply of  claim 6 , wherein said filter comprises a rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         11 . The power supply of  claim 5 , wherein said first winding control circuit comprises a resistor provided shut with said first at least one control winding. 
     
     
         12 . The power supply of  claim 5 , wherein said first winding control circuit comprises an electronically-variable resistance provided shut with said first at least one control winding and where a resistance of said electronically-variable resistance is controlled at least in part by said load control circuit. 
     
     
         13 . The power supply of  claim 5 , wherein said first winding control circuit is controlled at least in part by said load control circuit. 
     
     
         14 . The power supply of  claim 5 , wherein a current through said first at least one control winding creates a flux in said first member and wherein said flux causes a non-linearity of said non-linear hysteresis to regulate an output voltage of said first secondary winding. 
     
     
         15 . A method of voltage regulation, comprising:
 providing an alternating current to a primary winding to induce a magnetic flux in a first member of a core of magnetic material having a non-linear hysteresis curve;   inducing a voltage in a first secondary winding provided to a second member of said core of magnetic material, wherein said first member and said second member form a first flux loop;   inducing a voltage in a first control winding provided to said second member;   controlling a current in said first control winding to produce a desired first output voltage across a series combination of said first secondary winding and said first control winding;   inducing a voltage in a second secondary winding provided to a third member of said core of magnetic material, wherein said first member and said second member form a second flux loop in parallel with said first flux loop such that said flux through said first member is common to flux through said first flux loop and said second flux loop;   inducing a voltage in a second control winding provided to said third member; and   controlling a current in said first control winding to produce a desired second output voltage across a series combination of said first secondary winding and said first control winding.   
     
     
         16 . The method  claim 15 , further comprising inducing a voltage in a third control winding provided to said second member, said third control winding in series with said first secondary winding and said first control winding. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said first secondary winding is wound in an opposite sense with respect to said first control winding. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said first secondary winding is wound such that voltage induced in said first secondary winding is out of phase with respect to voltage induced in said first control winding. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising converting said first desired output voltage to DC voltage. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising filtering said DC voltage. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising regulating said DC voltage. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising using an electrochemical cell to filter said DC voltage. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising using a rechargeable battery to filter said DC voltage. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising regulating said first desired voltage by shunting current around said first control winding. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising regulating said first desired voltage by using a resistor to shunt current around said first control winding. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising varying a resistance of said resistor. 
     
     
         27 . A power supply, comprising:
 means for inducing flux in a common branch of a first flux loop and a parallel second flux loop;   means for inducing a voltage in a first secondary winding and a first control winding from magnetic flux in said first flux loop;   means for controlling a current in said first control winding to produce a desired first output voltage across a series combination of said first secondary winding and said first control winding;   means for inducing a voltage in a second secondary winding and a second control winding provide to said second flux loop; and   means for controlling a current in said first control winding to produce a desired second output voltage across a series combination of said first secondary winding and said first control winding.   
     
     
         28 . The power supply of  claim 27 , further comprising means for converting said first desired output voltage to DC voltage. 
     
     
         29 . The power supply of  claim 28 , further comprising means for filtering said DC voltage. 
     
     
         30 . The power supply of  claim 28 , further comprising means for regulating said DC voltage. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising means for shunting current around said first control winding. 
     
     
         32 . The power supply of  claim 27 , further comprising means for varying a current shunted around said first control winding.